A few years ago, I was standing on the deck of the boathouse
at the Norris Reservation in Norwell, gazing at the water. I saw a lone figure
approaching from upstream, but I couldn’t quite determine what it was -- too
quiet for a boat, too tall for a kayak or canoe. As the figure approached, and
I was able to see more clearly, I realized it was a man, standing on what
looked like an oversized surfboard, paddling his way down the North River.
At the time, I figured this was just an instance of an Odd Activity
Someone Invented. I didn’t know yet that Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) was one
of the latest trends for people who enjoy the water. I was intrigued.
For years the North and South Rivers Watershed Association
has offered an array of guided paddling trips, classes, lectures, walks and
other outdoor themed events. Lately the group has been expanding its offerings,
and this year Stand Up Paddle Boarding was added to the schedule.
Partnering with Marshfield-based Luminate Surf & Skate,
NSRWA offered a series of Stand Up Paddling classes in May and June, on the
South River. Local, and run by folks I trusted, this was the perfect opportunity
to try something new -- so I signed up.
The class was just before sunset on Memorial Day. We met
first at Luminate so those who needed to could be fitted for wetsuits (rental was
included in the cost of the program). It was overcast, damp and a bit chilly
outside.
We caravanned from there to Rexhame Beach. Luminate had
trailered the boards, but it was our job to carry them, and our paddles,
through the dunes to the river. Even with the built-in handle, those boards –
averaging about ten feet in length -- were awkward and heavy! We placed them at
the water’s edge and then received a quick tutorial on how to use them.
When I signed up for the class, I’d looked online at photos
of people in their bathing suits, smiling contentedly as they paddled their
boards across peaceful waters. But I pictured quite a different scene for
myself. It wasn’t bathing suit weather (I wore my sleeveless wetsuit with a
long sleeved shirt over it). I imagined it would take some practice before I
could even stand on the board, let alone smile. “Contentedly” might have to be
saved for a future excursion. I expected to fall, repeatedly. But being a yoga
teacher and longtime-but-still-novice kayaker, I had hopes that I would figure
it out eventually.
Our guides, Jess and Oliver, instructed us to wade into the
water up to our knees, cautioning us about the slippery stones underfoot. They
then hopped up onto their boards, kneeling, and pushed off into the river.
“Once you find your balance,” they explained, “you can bring one foot forward
and stand up.”
I was a little nervous, but not wanting to be left behind, I
pushed off after them, wobbling but still dry from the knees up. The board was
surprisingly stable, and within a minute or two, I gingerly rose to my feet.
Once we were all standing, Oliver and Jess showed us the most effective way to
use the paddle. And then we set off, heading upstream.
Are you familiar with the South River? The winding stretch
from Rexhame Beach upstream toward Marshfield Center is lovely. Surrounded by
marsh on both sides, it offers an expansive view. The evening we were there,
the tide was close to high, and the marsh grass was a rich emerald green. There
was a mild breeze – just enough to keep the bugs at bay. And the mostly-still water
reflected the setting sun. So serene.
Our guides led us upstream for a while, and then we turned
into Clapp Creek, which flows in a zigzag pattern from a neighborhood off South
River Street. By then our group of nine (a family of four, a couple, the
instructors and me) had dispersed enough that each of us could have a solitary
experience if we wanted to. We had chatted some while we paddled in a loose
pack, but as we headed deeper into the creek, the conversations slowed.
I had to pay attention – maintaining my balance, steering
the board along a winding course, making sure the paddle hit the water at the
correct angle, avoiding collisions with other participants as well as the
riverbanks – but the process was simple enough that I could daydream a bit as
well. I’d explored this section of the river plenty of times before, but always
down low, at kayak or canoe height. To be standing instead of sitting offered a
refreshingly new perspective.
The creek continued to narrow, and eventually we decided to
turn around. Heading back toward Rexhame, we let the distance between each
paddler grow, each of us in his or her own world. Exiting the creek and heading
downstream, I surveyed the scene before me: the sun setting behind Marshfield
Hills, a pink-orange glow on the river, the vivid green marshes, the golden hue
of the dunes. I’d tried something new, I’d enjoyed myself, and I’d managed to
stay warm and dry. I’m pretty sure I was smiling contentedly.
Note: Luminate offers weekly Stand Up Paddle Boarding
classes at various South Shore locations. For information, visit http://luminatesurfandskate.com or
call 781-834-2755.
by Kezia Bacon
June 2012
Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy
of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit
organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and
conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership
information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781)
659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 15 years of Nature (Human and
Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com
